President Tinubu nominates ex-CDS Christopher Musa as Defence Minister
President Bola Tinubu has nominated the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), as the new Minister of Defence.
His nomination follows the resignation of the former Defence Minister, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, who stepped down on Monday, November 1, 2025, due to health reasons.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday, December 1, by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu forwarded a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio formally presenting General Musa as Badaru’s replacement.
The statement noted that General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, is a highly regarded military officer who served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 to October 2025 and received the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
In the letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed confidence in General Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
